This is what I’ve been waiting for. The bootleg to end all
bootlegs. Today finally saw the long anticipated release of The Cutting Edge
1965-1966, a collection of studio outtakes and unreleased gems, most of which
have never been in circulation, issued in 3 different editions. For Dylan
fanatics, this just might be the mecca. These two years, above being what many
others and I see as his creative peak, also symbolise the time in which he
completely reinvented the popular music paradigm, shifting his sound from
acoustic to electric and his songs from troubadour anthems to densely layered
abstractions. Like never before, we can hear the development of that ‘wild
mercury sound’ in all its glory.
This is only a brief overview of my initial impressions, as I’ve
only heard the sampler that appeared promptly on Apple Music this morning. I
haven’t yet had the chance to get myself down to the store to purchase a copy.
Being the Dylan fan I am, it saddens me greatly to know that I will only be
able to afford the 2 CD ‘Best Of..’ set, instead of the lofty 6 CD and 18 CD
versions. One of the only criticisms I have had of the bootleg series since I
have started buying the physical copies is the pricing. I mean, I love what
they have done with this bootleg and others by making multiple versions
available. But £100 for 6 CD’s, and £400 (!!) for the ultimate collectors
edition, is undeniably expensive, even taking into account the cool little
extras they throw in.
Anyway, my thoughts on the sampler - it’s fantastic! I’ve already
given all 15 tracks 3 full run-throughs, and just like with any great music,
they’ve got better with each listen. There are some mind-blowing performances
on here, not only from Dylan but also the various backing bands that created
that eternal sound on those three legendary albums. There are also plenty of
surprises in regard to how Dylan phrases some of his lyrics, twisting some of
the rhyming to make the song into something completely distinct from the
original. That was the genius of Bob at this time, his seemingly limitless
capacity for playing around with words, making something clear and meaningful
out of complete and utter chaos. I think a trap many people fall into when
analysing this period in Dylan’s songwriting is comparing it to his earlier or
later work. There are virtually no similarities. Dylan in 1965/66 was in a sort
of vacuum, writing songs from unbridled inspiration and a creative space that
has only been reached by a few artists in history. Lumping these lyrics into
the same category as With God On Our Side or Blowin’ In The Wind is just going
to lead you on a wild good chase, clutching at straws. I am personally of the
opinion that when it comes to songs like Visions Of Johanna, the meaning is
implicit in the whole sound, not in each separate line. This bootleg, or at
least what I’ve heard of it so far, does a great job at displaying the
looseness of these songs, the elasticity of them. Bob could bend the lyrics or
instrumentation into whatever he wanted them to be at the time, or he could add
to them spontaneously, and somehow they didn’t lose even a hint of meaning or
impact.
On this bootleg, you really are granted exclusive access to the
mind of Bob Dylan at the very summit of his songwriting prowess, but there is
far more to be gleaned here than simply an interesting musical artifact. These
outtakes are bursting at he seams with energy and passion. You could even make
the argument that many of the alternate takes are better than the originals.
But most importantly, they are thoroughly entertaining to listen to, from the
blissful opener She Belongs To Me to the somber unreleased masterpiece She’s
Your Lover Now. I can’t wait to pick up a physical copy and dive into the nitty
gritty detail of each track. I’ll do my best to post a full review once I’ve
had a couple of weeks to absorb it, but in the meantime Dylan fans, sit down,
throw this on, and hold on to your hats, it’s going to be a wild ride!
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